New Safety Testing Methods for Autonomous and Semi-Autonomous Vehicles
With the rise of autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles, there is a need for new methods of safety testing to ensure that these vehicles can handle unexpected scenarios, such as sudden tyre deflation. How well will these vehicles cope in such situations when they are in control of the driving rather than a human?
Koala Technologies, a US firm, has developed an innovative piece of equipment known as the Te.Sense Bloom that allows road testers to simulate tyre deflation remotely from within the vehicle. This kit complies with existing regulations, including the FMVSS 110 US federal standard, which ensures that tyres have adequate load-carrying capacity and remain on the rim during rapid deflation.
In addition to meeting current regulations, the Te.Sense Bloom also aligns with emerging standards for electric vehicle (EV) lateral stability tests with and without the motor engaged, which are becoming mandatory in markets like China.
The Te.Sense Bloom is mounted on a vehicle’s wheel and features a central air ejector valve designed to simulate sudden tyre failure by rapidly deflating the tyre. This equipment is connected to the inside of the tyre through tubes and connectors screwed into the rim, allowing for repeatable results and avoiding the need to destroy multiple tyres for testing purposes.
One of the advantages of the Te.Sense Bloom is its ability to trigger rapid tyre deflation on any corner of the vehicle, making it suitable for tests that require deflating a single tyre while leaving others intact. This is in contrast to traditional methods that involve driving over cleats to deflate two tyres on one side, which can be costly and unsustainable.
Although installing the Te.Sense Bloom may require modifications to the vehicle’s rim for the connectors and tubes, Koala Technologies offers a wheel set-up service to assist testers. This equipment can trigger tyre deflation from inside the vehicle or remotely, supporting tyre pressures of up to 100psi and speeds of up to 87mph.
